I would have preferred to learn much earlier in my life that I do things when I'm ready. I don't know when that will be, so don't ask. Sometimes, of course, I don't have the luxury, but if I try to do things before I'm ready, it doesn't turn out well.
It's particularly true with writing. I can't produce the outlines for my novels that my English teacher would recognize as outlines, so I sometimes just 'pants it' because I'm ready to write, even if I don't know where I'm going. Not knowing where I'm going has never stopped me from going if I feel I'm ready to go. That doesn't always turn out well either.
I've never been inclined to dignify my not-readiness as writer's block. But I discovered something recently: Y'know those unfinished MS in that drawer... I had one of a story I've always wanted to tell, but I reached a point from which I could not go forward.
One of the things I feel sure of is that no one, not even the Greats, could ever successfully revise a blank page, so I understand that getting words on paper or in pixels is the necessary first step. Anyway, I found a solution I'd like to share. I later discovered it's called pre-writing.
I wrote About the story---what should happen, broadly, to make it a satisfying experience for the reader. And some of the fog cleared. So, I was able to write more specifically about what needed to happen, how it had to happen, and where it belonged in the plot and character arcs. And how to raise conflict, goals, and stakes. My English teacher wouldn't consider it an outline, but it serves, I can write. There's still some struggle involved, but I'm sure that once I've written The End (and I know what that is) I'll have something that may be worth revision. I hope this is helpful.
Thank you for this.
I would have preferred to learn much earlier in my life that I do things when I'm ready. I don't know when that will be, so don't ask. Sometimes, of course, I don't have the luxury, but if I try to do things before I'm ready, it doesn't turn out well.
It's particularly true with writing. I can't produce the outlines for my novels that my English teacher would recognize as outlines, so I sometimes just 'pants it' because I'm ready to write, even if I don't know where I'm going. Not knowing where I'm going has never stopped me from going if I feel I'm ready to go. That doesn't always turn out well either.
I've never been inclined to dignify my not-readiness as writer's block. But I discovered something recently: Y'know those unfinished MS in that drawer... I had one of a story I've always wanted to tell, but I reached a point from which I could not go forward.
One of the things I feel sure of is that no one, not even the Greats, could ever successfully revise a blank page, so I understand that getting words on paper or in pixels is the necessary first step. Anyway, I found a solution I'd like to share. I later discovered it's called pre-writing.
I wrote About the story---what should happen, broadly, to make it a satisfying experience for the reader. And some of the fog cleared. So, I was able to write more specifically about what needed to happen, how it had to happen, and where it belonged in the plot and character arcs. And how to raise conflict, goals, and stakes. My English teacher wouldn't consider it an outline, but it serves, I can write. There's still some struggle involved, but I'm sure that once I've written The End (and I know what that is) I'll have something that may be worth revision. I hope this is helpful.
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